The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-26

these initials stand for?"
 "Anyhow," suggested the public prosecutor, "there is one thing we can do. Let us send for the five or six laundresses that are in BriQueville It mistake not one of them will give us clew."
 "A good idea :" exclaimed the col- onel, "a very good idea" An hour later the six Briqueville washerwomen were collected together, and each, in turn, held her nose be- tween her thumb and forehnger as she stopped over the strange, inodorous box, from which hung the bit of linen that was to bring all their sagacity into play.
 Suddenly one of them exclaimed:
 "I know the mark! It Is Mile. Aglae's linen"
 "Who is Mile. Aglae?"
 "A customer of mine who, died about two years ago."
 Do you know what has. become of her linen?" | Il
 sWhy, of course, do. Her servant inherited of her clothes as we'll as of every thing else. She now resides in the house of her dead mistress"
 The public prosecutor and the col onel exchanged look of triumph.
 Just then Corporal Poireau, who had been examining the box very closely, exclaimed Why, this is still more peculiar !"
 "What is the matter now?" asked the colonel.
 "The matter is, colonel, I think l per- ceive the end of a bone! You may see for yourself, colonel. it is really the end of bone"
 "So it is," said the colonel. Look, Monsieur le Procureur, and see if it isn't !" ss.s's
 The public prosecutor did as di- rected For little while he had felt somewhat excited over the turn af- fairs were taking. The case was be- coming more and more interesting. It was lucky windfall to him. He sat down and scribbled few words on n piece of paper.
 "Take this to the telegraph office" said he. 'It is dispatch to the min ister of justice, And now" added he, complacently rubbing his hands to- gether, i've shall leave this box to be opened by the examining magistrate and the coroner. They will find their work already done for them. As for you, worthy woman, lead the way to the house you spoke of"
 AS they went along the colonel could not conceal his satisfaction.
 "Well, colonel, what do you think? We have got fine case, haven't we?'
 "A fine case, indeed" replied the colonel "A first -class murder! That will be q toothsomc morscl for the juryw
 Peacefully knitting at her window, Mile. Gertrude nearly swooned away when she saw her home invaded by SO formidable an array of authorities. But how great soever might have been her surprise, it in nowise equaled the astonishment of the in- vaders, who stood before her with open mouths, as if transfixed. The seventy springs of the worthy maiden, and the hairy treble wart which soft ened the austere outlines of her nose, produced on their minds an impression they had not expected.
 "Sapristi," whispered the colonel to the public prosecutor, "the lady seems to me rather too ripe to have had any thing to do with crime of this na- 1 ture."
 Although visibly discomfited, the attorney put on a sickly smile. Matters had to be explained, how ever. They were in most satisfact- ory manner by Monsieur Gregoire, the beadle of Saint Ursula, who threw 30 much light on the sffair that 1t only made the public prosecutors vexation all the more evident. A pug! Was it possible? It was so possible that it was the truth. The prosecutor had to believe the evidence of his own eyes, when the skeleton of Mirza, divested of its winding sheet, lay upon the office table, testifying to the truth of what Monsieur Gregoire had advanced.
 They still laugh about this affair in Briqueville, and the mery townsmen predict that it will make Monsieur le Procureur's fortune. As for Corporal Poireau, he stoutly maintains that, in all his many years of service as a ge'addrnie, he never was connected with case which was so very pe-cu- liar!
 '